Vlog from the road. :)

Early Morning Vlog - Hydration and other things...

Going to throw in a little Vlog!

Sorry it's so long. Guess I had more to say than I thought! Enjoy!

Day 23 & 24 - Finito!

So day 23 was a pretty busy one. Got A LOT done. When I got home, thanks to the supplements and Spark, I still had enough motivation and energy to hit the gym. For those of you who don't know, before this challenge, a simple trip to Savannah would wear me out. No matter what I was doing over there. That day, I walked and walked, shopped, then went to Sam's Club, and walked some more. I'm telling you. My energy level is higher than it ever has been.

Anyway, gym time. I did my first 5k training on the treadmill. I did it in just over 50 min. Pretty good considering I haven't run in a while. I plan to work my time down considerable before my first official 5k, coming up in October. But even with this time I was pretty jazzed afterwards. And I slept like a baby.

Yesterday was Day 24! The final results are in: 8.2 lbs lost, and a 4.5 inch lost overall! I wish I could post pics of the results. But all of this is a surprise for the DH when he gets home. But the final results will be posted after his returned, so stayed tuned. Anyway, I was so stoked, I joined Advocare and now sell it. Sure, I get a pretty sweet discount, but I'm also a good example of the fact that this challenge works! These products work! I worked out for 3 solid months. 1-2 hours a day, and could only lose 2 lbs. TWO POUNDS IN 3 MONTHS! I was very frustrated, to say the least. Not to mention my energy level was not really there, meaning my metabolism just wouldn't kick in.  I would workout, then come home and sleep. Ridiculous. I wasn't eating enough calories, so I would justify eating Taco Bell or Pizza Hut by my working out, and needing to make up for the calories lost working out.

So yes, part of the change came from eating better. But I'm the kind of person that needs a regiment; a strict guideline that tells me, Hey, if you don't eat the right way, this won't work. And admittedly, the challenge kit is not cheap. Which was even more incentive to follow through with it. So if you're someone who constantly picks something up then quits shortly thereafter, this is probably not a good investment. Unless you just like wasting money. This challenge is for people who truly want to completely reshape their lives, and lose a few pounds in the process. Because that's exactly what this does. So if you are looking for that, I suggest you find an Advocare distributor ASAP. Worth it, totally. I shit you not. :)

My workout yesterday was amazing. I worked on arms pushing, and my shoulders are definitely feeling it today, as well as my abs (from the assisted pull-ups we've been working on). I could only do 20 minutes on the treadmill since they were about to close it to do their morning cleaning. So I pushed myself to get as much in as I could. My legs are definitely hating me this morning, but I'm doing it again today, so get over it, legs.

 M and I are also thinking about doing the Squat challenge again. At least the middle portion of it. 50 squats are too few, but 260 is a killer. We'll see. I'm too OCD to just do a portion, so I will probably do it all over again. I'm also going to work on my form for crunches and do that challenge. My back always ends up hurting after a few crunches. So thanks to YouTube, I can have a personal trainer without the $$. Seriously, inventor of YouTube, you are awesome.  Except for the Ads.

For Real.

Today is now just a regular day. I still plan to blog, so people who are reading this for tips and ideas can keep getting it. Plus, blogging helps me get all my bragging out. Because I'm really proud of how far I have come. And I want to tell the world! 

So world, here I am! Check me out.

Day 22 - Lets talk about the Max phase.

So my time on the challenge is slowly coming to a close. I believe that this is one of the best experiences I've ever had as far as a "diet" is concerned. With the exception, of course, of the fiber drink, and the difficulty of eating enough calories, I have thoroughly enjoyed this whole experience. 

But I'll have to say that the supplements that I have been taking on the Max phase have had the most positive affect on me. I never thought that I would be so motivated, or have so much energy without a crash. I have taken other doctor prescribed supplements in the past, and while they did have similar effects as far as energy is concerned, by the afternoon I was ready to pass out. Kudos to Advocare for making such an effective concoction for sure.

I'm also very fond of the spark energy drinks. In fact, I have ordered a canister, and plan to replace my coffee every morning with it. The effects last much longer than coffee, and it's actually nutritionally better for you. I have tried both the fruit punch and Cherry. Cherry wasn't desirable at all to me, but the fruit punch was really good. Tomorrow we try pink lemonade, and if I like it, I will most likely be getting some for the DH. He is already aware that there will be some changes when he gets home, and does not oppose to becoming a more healthy couple.

In fact, that is one of my main goals. I want to be someone who works out alongside their husband, rather than just watch him keep his body fit. M and I actually want to be able to outdo our husbands workout, as far-fetched as that may seem. We find it very motivating to have such high standards set in place for both of us. I don't think either of us would have made as far as we have without the constant motivation of each other. We both have come a long way from where we started, and it's only because we pushed ourselves and each other past our comfort level. I knew i had met my match when M asks, "Do you want me to kill you?", then proceeds to show me the "machine-o-death." I wanted to die, but no matter how much it hurt, we didn't stop until we were done. That's how it should be. 

You can't really expect good results if you're stopping when the pain starts. Now I'm not saying don't listen to your body, but, pain is going to happen. It doesn't mean that your body can't go past that point. The statement "no pain, no gain" is more than just that. If you're not pushing your limits, you're not succeeding. It's not easy. If it were easy, it would just be "the way."

And on that note, I'm going to lead by example. I'm going to get some good rest tonight, then I'm going to KILL IT at the gym tomorrow. Hopefully, I won't die. If I do, well, at least I went out doing SOMETHING in the way of a positive change.. 

Won't you be my neighbor?

Check this out:

Just a little intimidating knowing I have an audience that spans the globe! ;-)

Day 19-21 - Finding out why you don't slack off on your workout.

On Thursday, M and I got back to our routine, kicking things off with our own boot camp regime. While some of it was easier, we were both left out of breath, and we agreed just 1 round would be enough. After all, it was already 1030, and felt swelteringly humid outside. We finished up with a brisk mile walk, and called it a day. The next day we would do Zumba, and that would be a nice addition to the calories burned that day. Yesterday morning, I woke up ready to dance some pounds away. But my legs felt otherwise. I felt like an old lady trying to sit down in the restroom. My legs and abs ached like I had never worked out, then enlisted in basic training the next day. All day I was in pain. And Today was no different. I have limped through my day feeling like someone took a bat to my legs. To make matters worse, it's "that time", so my back is cramping too. I'm a huge ball of pain right now. And craving carbs like no ones business. 

I've been reading some "success" posts about the 24 day challenge, and reading how people finished with only a "couple cheats." And the fat girl in me thinks, "see, it's normal to give into those cravings. Just pull into that Taco Bell." But, I refuse to join the masses. My 24th day is fast approaching, I'm so close to finishing I can taste it. I want to finish it and be able to say that I did it without fail. 

Ok, I'm hurting pretty badly right now, so I'm going to wrap this up so I can get some rest. I'm gaining weight again. I'm not freaking out only because I know it has to do with my cycle. So I just want everyone doing the challenge to know that weight fluctuation is going to happen. Especially for women, especially around this time. I know most of you know that, and I have all along as well, but I know how much better I feel knowing someone else is going/has gone through the same trials. It's not all roses, but we can get through it. Just stick with the meal planning and water water water! 

Day 22, I'm on my way. Please be kinder than today has been...

Day 17 &18 - Even Leo is starting to eat clean!

Leo has grown an affinity for apples. He sits patiently beside me while I cube them into bite size pieces. I look down at him, and can see his body tense, waiting to run after the piece I carefully choose to toss. Miranda, on the other hand, bolts into the kitchen anytime I open a can, whether with the can opener or the peel-off top. Regardless of what I may be opening, she automatically assumes it's tuna. It's at that moment she becomes the sweetest cat ever, even tolerating Leo within 5 feet of her. She intertwines herself in my legs, letting me know that, "If you don't want something, remember I'm right here. Just don't forget. I'm right here. right meow." Once she's cleaned out the crevices in the can where my utensils wouldn't reach, she quietly sits on the couch, rests a bit, then turns back into the neurotic bitch I know and love. It's really a magic moment.

So the past couple days I've been under the weather. I thought it was just allergies, as I said before, but I took a small turn for the worse, and ended up seeing a doctor. It was not strep, perhaps just a virus. I'm okay, and was sent on my way with 800mg Motrin and some mouthwash with Lidocaine. I've yet to use the mouthwash. I did use the Motrin yesterday afternoon. Wow. A little background on me: I'm a little over 1/4 Native American, and carry a lot of their traits. Including the inability to tolerate copious amounts of drugs and alcohol. I'm what the white man calls a, "cheap date." Motrin knocked me out into a coma-like sleep, but not before making me just short of paralyzed. I become extremely lethargic, and am soon asleep for an unknown amount of time. A while later, I wake up just enough to be in an "awake REM" state. If you've never had that happen, honestly, it's more of a trip than being on acid. From what I've heard, of course. I dreamed I jumped off a high-rise building. The intense feeling of falling was so real. As I was getting closer to the bottom, it's as if the air caught me, and lowered me safely to the ground. Whoa. I won't be doing that again today.

So today is day 18, and I'm only thinking of the future, and what I'll do after this challenge is over. I've decided that as much as I would love to, I don't think I'll have a cheat day the day after. Honestly, I want to keep going as if nothing has changed. The lady who sold me this challenge was right. My body is so used to eating healthy that, while my mind craves junk, my body craves nutrients. And whole foods. Besides, I've got a small weekend getaway planned, that will have at least one day of yummy delish junk.  Thank God we'll be doing a lot of walking the next day.

I'm still bummed that I haven't really worked out since starting this. This week was supposed to be my week back into it. However, I have a feeling the main reason I got sick was due to my lack of working out and building up my immune system. Maybe it's the wake-up call I needed.

Anyway, I'm going to attempt to salvage the rest of this day with something constructive. Fingers crossed I don't accidentally trip and fall onto the couch, bouncing the PS3 controller into my hand. Hate it when that happens...

Day 15 & 16 - Turning hard-headiness to work in your favor.

I woke up this morning after a night of WEIRD dreams to find that my tonsils are swollen. While I don't really get sick, I do wake up with swollen tonsils or allergies sometimes. It's funny, when I was a smoker, I had chronic bronchitis. I've been smoke-free for going on 3 years this October, and I haven't really been sick since then. I've had a small cold for a few hours, more than likely just allergies, but nothing major at all. My life has definitely changed for the better since quitting smoking. I urge my friends who have recently picked up the habit to put it down all the time. It's not that I'm being a hypocrite, I just know what it is doing to their bodies. I smoked for 15 years. My wake up call happened around March of 2010. I had gone on a trip to NC with my best friend (I call her my sister. After 25 years of friendship, I earned that right :)). The last day we were there, I started feeling like a cold was coming on. As we were flying home, it started getting worse. By the time we landed, I was floored. I thought it may have been the flu, so I started treating it as such. About a week later, I was no better, and the build-up in my lungs was quite hard to miss. It literally sounded like someone was crumpling up paper every time I took a breath. I was standing in the office with my Cpl., and took a breath. He demanded that I see a Dr. ASAP. I made an appointment a couple hours later.

As the doctor did his routine,"Take a deep breath" with the stethoscope, I noticed he was reacting in a way that is not normal. I could tell he was really concerned. So I was sent for chest x-rays. When the results were in, I was advised that I didn't have the flu, but a flare-up of bronchitis. A flare-up that was left untreated for so long it was starting to grow arms out of my lung walls, making my lung collapse around it. (Sorry for the image.) He was surprised I was even standing, much less at work. He told me I had two options: go home now and don't come back to work for 3 days, or he would admit me into the hospital. I reluctantly agreed to go home. It was the weekend, after all, our busiest time of the week. Before I left, I asked the Dr., "My father smoked for 40 years, and his lungs looked as though he'd never picked up a cigarette. Am I that lucky?" Nope. He advised me that if I don't quit, I would have full-blown emphysema in 10 years.

To the average person, that would be enough to scare anyone into submission. But, I am a hard-headed woman. I went home, like he said, but only stayed gone 2 days, instead of 3. I resumed work, and my symptoms got worse. It got so bad that I literally had to sleep sitting up because lying down made my chest feel like it was pressing down on my lungs, causing me to go into a deep coughing spell. I was miserable. I still went to work through it, which only slowed my progress. I got on the patch, but for some reason it would make me queasy. I couldn't figure out why, so I went back to smoking.

One month. That's how long it took me to recover. I slept sitting up for a month. I can't tell you how good it felt to be able to finally lie down in my bed and sleep without waking up violently coughing. I ended up smoking for a few more months. Soon after getting better, I left the Police Department and moved to Austin. In October of 2010, after a very stressful situation happened to me, I decided enough was enough once and for all. I went back on the patch, Step 1. It started making me sick. Finally, I realized I wasn't smoking enough to warrant using Step 1, so I stepped down to Step 2. Eureka! We've found a winner!

I used about 2 boxes of the patch, then stopped the program. A bold move, considering the duration of my habit. I never picked up another cigarette. And I don't want to. I'm actually quite repulsed by them. Even being around it makes me feel ill.

As I said earlier, I'm a hard-headed woman. So, when I try to urge people to kick the habit, I'm not being bitchy. I was assaulted, and 3 days later I quit smoking. So I can't really sympathize with anyone who says they smoke because of stress. And if I can successfully quit even after a traumatic experience like that, anyone can. You just have to care enough about your body to do it.

I've shared this long-winded story as a prelude to how determination and commitment can do wondrous things in your life. When you are at the point where you are ready to better some part of your life, remember that initial drive you felt when you start to give up. Anything that's worth doing is worth doing right. I've been up and down with dieting and weight-loss. But I will never forget the embarrassment and pain I felt when I stepped on the scale and saw a number higher than I had ever seen. I also will never forget the anger I felt towards myself for letting it get that badly, and the readiness I felt when I decided to delete that number from my body. Whenever I feel like giving in and eating pizza (mmmm....pizza...) I reflect back on that day that I looked in the mirror and was disgusted. I say a little prayer for strength, and I press on.

I'm no fool. I know that I'm human, and humans are erroneous. So I try to deter bad habits before they turn into overwhelming temptation. I'm determined to kick those extra pounds out for good. And I'm just hard-headed enough to do it, despite what my mind tells me.

You can too. Tell that little voice that says "one more slice is ok" to go whistle. "Call for take-out," it says. Get bent. Start treating that inner lazy person as though they are your worst enemy, and you are tired of being pressured to give in to temptation. With training, that little voice can become your best friend, telling you to ignore the craving to order pizza (mmmm....pizza..). All you have to do is get fed up enough. And hang on to that feeling.

By the way, I'm down another 2 lbs. Take that, temptation.

Days 13 & 14 - I'm going to conquer this calorie mountain.

Why can't I go to sleeeeppp...

I never realized how many groceries I go through when I'm actually eating at home for every meal of the day. I can't imagine what our grocery budget will look like when the husband gets home. My workout buddy should be back tomorrow afternoon sometime. On Monday we will begin our workouts again, and I'm pretty excited to get back in the swing of things.

The past couple of days have been somewhat of a blur. I've been really busy, and tonight, actually this morning, seeing as though it's 2 AM, I've been working on reorganizing closet space. All of the sudden I feel like I don't have any room for anything and I'm ready to start throwing things out. When we move, I don't want to have a bunch of things lying around the house that I know I don't really need. I think that I'm getting in the decluttering mode to stay busy, and keep my mind off anticipation of the DH's coming home in a few months, the upcoming move, and to get my mind off of my appetite.

While I'm still refraining from cheating on my diet, I find that I am still usually pretty hungry throughout the day. I'm having a problem with keeping up my calorie intake as of late, because I'm still trying to balance everything out between calories, carbs and sodium. I'm still new at this, so I have no doubt that it will take some time to master it. I just wish there was a nutritionist close by who could help give me some ideas on meal planning.

At any rate tomorrow's a busy day, but I just wanted to say a few words so you wouldn't think that I've given up on blogging. I plan to keep this up even after the challenge is through. I want a chance to at least inspire one person to make a change for the better, and decide that their health is much more important than a large fry.

Tomorrow is more organizing, OCD in full swing.

Day 12: half-way there!

Today was a pretty good day. Busy, but very good. I woke up with a determination that the scale would be lowered. I just felt like something had changed. The day before yesterday, I had lost 2 pounds, making it a 4 pound weight loss total so far. Yesterday however I stepped on the scale and well, we all know how well how that went. Today I'm happy to report that I lost that pound I gained and lost another 2 lbs on top of that making it a 6 pound total loss in 12 days. I'm pretty pleased with myself right now. I stepped on the scale twice just to make sure I didn't lie to me the first time. I hate liars.

Today was also a rather busy day. I was finally able to pick up my wedding ring set that was getting service. When I was finally done there, I got sidetracked by one of the kiosk guys promising me that his product was "the best on the market." Once he got done with his spiel I was finally able to detach and move forward to  fort Stewart. My wedding ring now is soldered together, which I couldn't be happier about, and it looks absolutely brand-new. I am glad that that is finally over with I missed not being able to wear it. 

I'm also very proud that I was able to stay on top of my caloric intake today. I had only approximately 200 cals leftover, so it was all in all good day for the calorie front. I'm also done planning my menu for tomorrow, even factoring in the Zumba I will be doing. I've come to realize that I am going to have to change my budgeting for groceries. I'm now realizing why I was able to live off such a small budget for groceries. Without eating out I'm eating twice as much here as I ever have. Less food is being wasted, which is a good thing because I am horrible at allowing perfectly good and healthy food go to waste, because it is easier to pick up a phone and have someone bring tasty foods to you. I'm beginning to understand why more and more Americans are becoming obese. it's an epidemic because the prices keep rising on the fresh healthy foods, while they still raise on the fast food, its not quite as drastic, and people are able to afford it a little bit better. And with how everyone is so busy to stop and eat something healthy, they've made it so convenient to make bad choices and so difficult to make good ones. The busier we get, the worse choices are made. It's a vicious cycle that I hope I can break completely.

On a lighter note these supplements on this max phase are doing wonderful things with my energy level. I find that I'm not as fatigued in the afternoons to where I want to take a nap. I'm perfectly okay with staying awake and doing things. I'm more motivated to accomplish the task at hand. Overall I am very satisfied with the results thus far. As far as I'm concern at this point in time, I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is looking to better their lifestyle, better their eating habit choices, and just need a little bit of assistance in doing so. It's not an easy task to do on your own. I'm speaking with lots of experience. The 24 day challenge has completely reset and rewired my body to make healthier decisions when it comes to eating and my overall well-being.

At any rate, it's Zumba in the morning, and I should hit the rack. I hope that in some form or fashion, I hope i have given some sort of inspiration to anyone out there who is struggling with what I have been struggling with. Getting your weight under control is never an easy task. I want to be honest with my experiences in this challenge, and I hope that none of it discouraged you from trying it on your own, because it truly has a very good step to take in the right direction on changing your lifestyle for the better. 

If it were easy, it would just be "the way."

 

Day 11: it's short and sweet for a wasted day.

I was so frustrated with the scale yesterday. As much as I shouldn't have, I let it ruin much of my morning. I started Max phase yesterday, and began taking the MNS-e packs. I got the ones for energy since I have no problem being hungry from my years of skipping meals. I learned to ignore it so much that I don't even really feel hunger pains anymore. 

So anyway, I started the packs, and wow! I had copious amounts of energy! I had so much energy, I couldn't quit organizing things. My mind was so clear. All I wanted to do was clean. My apartment had no qualms about that. It didn't affect my other meds either. In fact, if anything, it leveled me out even more. My meds would mellow me out, almost to the point fatigue. It was a good first day. 

I'm doing much better on my caloric intake right now. I'm still not working out, but, I've started doing my menu the night before, and inputting it into myfitnesspal. I make my adjustments where needed. If I keep that routine, I can estimate my workout for the next day, and make necessary adjustments before I'm forced to intake a ton of calories in one meal. I'm still playing with different foods, while trying to steer clear of red meats. However, that may only be short-lived, as beef is cheaper than fish or turkey. And if Leo keeps barking at noises outside, I might look up some dog recipes. Chill out, PETA, I wouldn't eat my dog.

 Cat is much tastier. >.<

Day 9 &10: Fiber Drink: it's not you, it's me..ok, it's you.

Day 9 & 10 have passed. Been a little stressed, for a couple reasons. I really psyched myself out about this whole weigh-in  yesterday. I had such high hopes of a "big loss." I weighed, and I am pleased with the results. Down 4 lbs, and a total of 2.5 inches lost. I was up a pound this morning, however, I've learned that one of the wonderfully frustrated things about being a woman is that our bodies love water. They love to hold it for a couple days, then divorce it for a couple days, then they get back together, sometimes have kids, or grand kids, then everyone moves out for a while. I wish they would move out for good, so my scale will stop being so sporadic. I saw a sign one time that read, "extra 5lbs, make your way to my boobs or GTFO".  Agreed.

I've also been kind of down lately, and I'm 99.5% sure it's because I'm not going to the gym like I should. My own fault, I know. It's a vicious cycle for people with Major Depression. I wake up not feeling like going, so I don't, then I get down about not going. At that point, my not wanting to go has just gotten worse, and the two situations feed off each other. So I'm at the point right now where I know if I just do it, go back to the gym, I'll instantly feel better when I leave. There's just something about the gym. Feeling that burn in your muscles during strength training. Looking in the mirror watching your form, knowing that with every single lift, push, pull or squat is having a cataclysmic effect on your body. Something inside is tearing, breaking, bending, and getting stronger. Every single move counts. It's a good feeling.

I'm still doing really well on the clean eating. The cravings for bad foods are still there, and will be there for a while, I'm sure. My body is still resetting, so the thoughts of gorging on pizza (still my Mecca for junk food) is still entertained in my still-growing mind, but they're so much easier to stave off when they attack. I went to an event last night that had food, and while the food wasn't that unhealthy, parts of it went against the challenge. So I grabbed a bottle of water before I arrived, and nursed that whenever the smell would get to me. Then I came home and had a healthy dinner. Winning.

I was supposed to go to the dentist today. But I didn't feel very well this morning. Between being out in the heavy rains last night, and a couple things going on personally, I just felt it would be best just to relax today. I need to adjust fire on a couple things that I may have been completely wrong about.
I hate doubting the validity of friendships. I hate feeling like maybe it was all a lie. Makes me very sad, because I thought so highly of them..

But today is a new day, and the start of my Max phase. Yesterday, I said goodbye to the fiber drink. Good riddance! Now I get to try the Meal Replacement Shake, which is about to happen. I've already had my Spark, and the first round of 4 rounds of pills you take throughout this section daily. It's a good thing I have no problem taking pills, sheesh.

Stay tuned!
 

Day 8 - why is this ride going backwards?

It's funny.

Before my workout buddy and I started working out, I was really more of a loner when it came to exercise. I was always put off about the fact that someone would be there, and either hinder me, or push me too hard. If they quit before I did, And we took the same car, I'd automatically start worrying about how bored they were, or if they were wanting me to stop too. Eventually, all the over-rationalization of things wore me down, and I'd stop my workout, knowing very well I wasn't satisfied. But, M has changed my whole perception, and now I'm finding hard to be motivated without her. She has been the only one to not only stick with this consistently with me, but to push me, motivate me, share the victory of killing it at the gym. 

I understand that eventually, with us getting orders for Texas, I'll be back to solo-workouts. But I'm in the now, and I need her back RIGHT NOW! :) I'm not ready to snap the resistance bands holding us together. Because honestly, I'm doing horribly without her. I'm slipping into a terrible habit I had when I was single: ignoring my hunger. Putting off eating until I couldn't stand it any longer. No, I'm not starving myself as part of an eating disorder, I just simply don't want to cook for one sometimes. Or sometimes I get busy and forget to  eat. It happens. That habit also stems from living in a big expensive city working a crappy job, getting paid barely enough to cover your bills. I was Budgeting myself $100 a month for groceries. So by the end of the pay period. I'd skip meals just to ration the food. Being poor sucks, but you start habits that are very easy to slip back into. 

So I'm not even going to cover my food today. Lets just say when I computed my menu, I got in trouble, and it told me I could put my body in starvation mode. Ugh. Sort of getting frustrating. 

Anyway, I've got a busy day tomorrow, and my sleeping pill is kicking in. Since it's 12:02, it's officially Monday. I'm excited for 2 reasons, 1: I get to say "RABBIT RABBIT" for good luck. Anyone remember the nickelodeon channel, and when they had Nick Days? Well every day they had some crazy holiday they made up. But the 1st day of the month was always "rabbit rabbit" day. You said that out loud for good luck. I saw that for the first time when I was 12. Almost 19 years later, I still do it, on the first day of every month. 228 months. Yea, I just calculated it. I have an OCD about numbers. It's really weird and people make fun of me for what I do with them. Don't judge me. 

So the number 2 reason is 1 more day until I get to weigh! Until then, you stay classy, planet earth.